Ethernet type networks have been used in communication networks for implementing communication among various network components. An Ethernet network may be used to send or route data in a digital form by packets or frames. Each packet contains a set of data, and the packet is generally not interpreted while sent through the Ethernet network. The Ethernet network is typically composed of different equipment that subscribes to the network and connects to each other through switches. Each network subscriber can send packets in digital form generally at any time to one or more other subscribers. When a switch receives the packets, the destination equipment is determined, and the packets are switched to such equipment. In a switched Ethernet type network, the term “switched” refers to the packets being switched in switches on appropriate outputs.
More recently, Ethernet networks have been used in avionic network environments. Avionic systems generally include numerous components that may exchange data among one or more other components. For example, a variety of external sensors may gather information that is routed via an avionics network to a number of different aircraft components. To facilitate communications and operations of the avionic network, a communication bus is typically used, such as an Avionics Standard Communication Bus (ASCB) developed by Honeywell, Inc. ASCB provides access using a predefined schedule known to all nodes in the avionic network. For example, each node is synchronized to a common schedule and transmits during a corresponding time slot. Timing messages may be transmitted at the start of each frame to maintain synchronous transmissions. This configuration generally provides highly deterministic, low latency, and low jitter data transfer.
Standards or protocols have been promulgated to fulfill desired operating parameters of the avionic network. For example, Aeronautical Radio Inc. (ARINC) 664 sets forth an aeronautical standard, based on a switched Ethernet network, for use in an aircraft environment. In some avionic systems using ARINC 664, an asynchronous communication bus is used with “bounded determinism” (e.g., a predictable probabilistic outcome) for message delivery. For example, each end system in the avionic network maintains a point-to-point connection with one or more network switches. With ARINC 664, each end system may transmit a message, having a predetermined size, at a predetermined rate.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an avionic network that accommodates both synchronous and asynchronous communications. It is also desirable to provide a method for controlling synchronous and asynchronous communication in an avionic network. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.